Wire fence stretcher



C. L. DE LAY WIRE FENCE STRETCHERS Sept. 6, 1938.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 2, 1937 aL.,DeLay Sept. 6, 1938. c. L. DE LAY 'WIRE FENCE STRETCHERS 2 Sheei-Shet 2 Filed Sept. 2, 1937 Patented Sept. 6, 1938 PATENT OFFHCE WIRE FENCE STRETCHER Clyde L. De Lay, Indianapolis, Ind.

Application September 2, 1937, Serial No. 162,190

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a stretcher for wire fence fabric and the like.

It is especially aimed to provide a novel con struction which may be easily and quickly assembled and, disassembled with respect to the fence, namely by simply hooking the parts together, thus avoiding the use of accessories such as bolts, screws, pins and tools.

The more specific objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the description following taken in connection with accompanying drawings illustrating an operative embodiment.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation showing my invention in use in connection with a wire fence fabric;

Figure 2 is a plan View of the parts of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the device;

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 44 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a detail section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1; and

Figure 6 is a detail section taken on the line 6--6 of Figure 1.

Referring specifically to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or similar parts, the invention uses a pair of jaw members at l and I 9, preferably of wood, and respectively concave and convex along their facing surfaces as at I! and it, in order to better engage and clamp a wire fence, other fabric or the like I 4.

Said jaws are detachably hinged together as through the medium of hooks l passing through 35 eyelets it, the hooks and eyelets being spaced from the jaws and each carried by attaching plates ll and i8, fastened as at I 9 to the jaws.

At the top and bottom of each jaw, arms are provided, the same having attaching flanges 2i 40 secured as at 22 to the jaws and such flanges are preferably integral with the adjacent attaching plates ll and I8. Said arms are preferably metallic and they have deflected terminals 23 terminating on the side of the jaws opposite to the hinges.

By means of bolts, rivets or the like 24, levers 25 and links 26 are pivotally connected to said offset portions 23. Crossed chains are employed at 2'! each having a terminal link pivotally connected to the inner ends of the levers 25 and at the other terminals having hooks 28 detachably engaged in openings 29 of the links 26. In order that the chains 21 may be substantially parallel and operate without interference, the levers 25 attached to the jaw I!) are disposed below the arms 20 and links 26 disposed above the same, while the opposite is true with respect to the levers 25 and links 26, of the jaw I I.

Horizontal draw chains 30 have hooks 3! at opposite ends detachably engaged in openings 32 in the outer ends of the levers 25. Said chains 30 also have central rings or links 33 to which a spreader bar it is attached by means of studs 35 at their upper and lower ends. The links 33 also have eyelets 36 which are detachably engaged by hooks H at opposite ends of a central draw chain 38, having a solid central link 39. Chain 38 may be lengthened in order to properly position the link 39 to evenly draw the load or stretch it to this end. The lowermost link 33 has a removable pin 40 applicable through any of the lower links of the chain 38.

A link or loop 4! is associated with the link 39 and a block and tackle 42 are carried thereby, having a pulley 43 over which a cable 44 passes. Said cable 44 is operated by any suitable winding mechanism as suggested at 45 and specifically forming no part of the present invention and which winding mechanism is adapted to be anchored by a chain or the like as at 46, to a stake or post 4'! driven into the ground or otherwise arranged stationary.

As a result of the construction described, the device is normally in a knocked-down condition so that it may be carried or stored in small space. When it is used, the hooks and eyelets l5 and it are engaged, the cross chains 2'! operatively arranged and the jaws disposed with a portion of the fence fabric or other element to be stretched, between the surfaces i2 and i3. With the draw chains 30 and 38 attached and the winding mechanism 45 attached to the chain 38 and to the stationary anchor ll, operation of the winding mechanism will serve to draw the jaws it and H tightly together and also longitudinally toward the stake M to thereby effectively stretch the fabric. The structure also is one which will effect the stretching operation in an even and positive manner.

Various changes may be resorted to provided they fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

l. A stretcher of the class described comprising a pair of jaws to engage the article to be stretched,

separable hooks and eyes on the jaws detachably hinging them together, means on the jaws engageable by draw means to move the jaws together and also longitudinally, comprising arms, levers and links pivoted to the arms on the side of the jaws opposite to the hooks and eyes, flexible elements connecting each lever at one end with a link, said levers at the other ends being engageable by draw elements.

2. A stretcher of the class described comprising a pair of jaws to engage the article to be stretched, separable hooks and eyes on the jaws detachably hinging them together, means on the jaws engageable by draw means to move the jaws together and also longitudinally, comprising arms, levers and links pivoted to the arms on the side of the jaws opposite to the hooks and eyes, flexible elements connecting each lever at one end with a link, said levers at the other ends being engageable by draw elements, certain of said levers being above the arms and certain of them being below the arms to enable the flexible elements to be disposed in non-interfering relation.

3. A stretcher of the class described comprising a pair of jaws to engage the article to be stretched, separable hooks and eyes on the jaws detachably hinging them together, means on the jaws engageable by draw means to move the jaws together and also longitudinally, comprising arms, levers and links pivoted to the arms on the side of the jaws opposite to the hooks and eyes, flexible elements connecting each lever at one end with a link, said levers at the other ends being engageable by draw elements, and spreader means for the draw elements.

4. A stretcher of the class described comprising a pair of jaws to engage the article to be stretched, separable hooks and eyes on the jaws detachably hinging them together, arms secured to said jaws, means on the arms engageable by draw means to move the jaws together and also longitudinally, plates for the attachment of the hooks and eyelets to the jaws, said arms having attaching plates, and the attaching plates being integral with the adjacent plates of the hooks and eyelets.

CLYDE L. DE LAY. 

